


What's Love Got to Do With It?

by orphan_account



Category: The Get Down (TV)
Genre: First Kiss, M/M, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-06
Updated: 2016-09-07
Packaged: 2018-08-13 12:12:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7976398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If you've never been loved before then the real stuff scares you like nothing else.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. i loved you even as i saw you

**Author's Note:**

> Shaolin is the DJ who we call conductor because Shaolin Fantastic's a gay mother - *wickee wickee*
> 
> And more importantly, hi, yes I'm in The Get Down fandom and I'm going to spending all my time posting works for them because turns out I really, REALLY love this show and this ship :)
> 
> This is a very short chapter, but that's okay because it's going to be a series of one shots throughout points in Shaolin and Ezekiel's relationship ;)

The first time Zeke tells Shaolin that he loves him, Shao doesn't believe him. He thinks lowly of love, associating it with raunchy scenes and sharp nails. Love to him is half a hundred dollar bill, torn with the promise of receiving the other half when he earns it. In Shao's mind, love is what you get when you dance long enough, sell long enough, fuck long enough. If you bend yourself, break your body, then someone will love you.

Shaolin has had enough of love and lovers. Images of hand holding and kissing turned his stomach sour. Just the word made the hair on the back of his neck stand at attention. No, Shaolin doesn't want Zeke to love him. Zeke is good and pure with kind intentions. They argue and get mad at each other, but Zeke would never do something to purposefully hurt him. He wouldn't tear money. He wouldn't put a price on affection.

Shaolin reacts the only way he knows how. Voice full of humor to hide the underlining fear, he says, “Books, you must've bumped your head.” He hides his face, burying it in a cloud of smoke. “Musta had too much of this stuff.”

Zeke laughs and replies with, “Nothing's wrong with me. I just … I just know what I feel.”

“You said them things about Mylene too.”

There's a beat of silence. Shaolin knows he has him now. The walls are building themselves. Why should he trust Zeke? Who's to say Zeke won't fall in love with someone else, fawning over them as he did over Mylene? Who's to say he didn't have notebook upon notebook filled with love poems dedicated to some other bitch?

Who's to say some of those love letters aren't for you? Shaolin wishes he could be bitter to his core, but there is something inside of him that refuses to die. As much as Annie tried to snuff it out, there was hope in him. Hope for music, hope for beauty, hope for … And maybe some of those hopes could become real, actual things. The walls recede for just a moment but then her. It's always going to be here. Shaolin has the sinking feeling that at the end of the day, Zeke would always wander back to Mylene.

“Yeah, I said them things to Mylene. Don't mean I don't feel 'em for you.” Shao heard Zeke shifting in his seat. “Don't mean I don't love you as deep as I love her. Maybe even deeper, truer.”

What was deep love anyway? Again images of Annie's face came to mind. He squeezed his eyes shut, pushing all thoughts of her away. He tries to think of exuses, but he draws up blanks. Shaolin has no choice than to listen to Books's sweet words.

“Mylene, she focusing on herself right now. And I ain't mad at that. I gotta keep it moving,” Books says. “And I've been thinking about what we got. We more than friends, Shao. We more than best friends even. We … we go together like ...”

“Pancakes and syrup?” Shaolin says, voice flat and ready to dismiss.

“Nah. Like rhythm and rhyme. Song and dance. You and me, we like music. I can't write my words without your spinning.”

If he was lighter, Shaolin's face would be bright red. He feels the heat though, feels how embarrassed Books is making him. “You just saying that.”

“I don't say nothing without meaning it,” Zeke says.

Shao knows that much is true. Zeke's words were his weapon and his shield. If Shao was ninja, then Zeke was a samuri in full armor. His mind briefly wanders to the lazy sketches he drew of Zeke and him as a crime fighting duo. Books and Shaolin Fantastic – the crime stopping, hip-hopping boys of the Bronx. Shaolin smiles and smiles wider.

“I like your words, but Ion't trust them,” Shao tests. “You gotta prove to me you love me and just me.”

“How you want me to do that?”

“Kiss me.”

Zeke considers Shaolin, very certain of what the other boy wanted. They were all alone, sitting on the hood of Shao's car. If he he was to follow his heart no one would ever catch wise. What lingered between them could be silent and secret. The silence grows wide and deep enough to wade in. Without putting much thought into it, Zeke leans over and kisses Shaolin.

Shaolin is electrified. Thousands of wires fraying and popping, sparking a fire in the pit of his stomach. He tries to compare it to some of the other kisses he's gotten. Fast, foolish and from people much older than him. Those kisses made his stomach hurt and his mind fuzz. This kiss … this kiss was pure. He attempts to keep his eyes open to watch Zeke but no sooner than the idea entered his mind, it is stolen away.

And no sooner than the kiss has started, it's done. Shaolin chases Zeke's lips, hoping for just a second longer. Once he's certain there's nothing left to take, he lays back against the hood of his car. He's smiling ear to ear, face nearly breaking with the joy. He's a little put off to see that Zeke didn't share his wide-eyed excitement. His face is solemn and long.

“What? I don't kiss good or something?”

“Nah, it's not that,” Zeke says, breathless and worn but full. “I think I need more.”

Shaolin, bleary eyed and dazed, answers, “More? What you need more for?”

“Because I don't think I could spend another minute on this earth not being yours.”

And then Shaolin, damaged, foolish and seventeen, falls in love.


	2. in the dark beside you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are some things that Shaolin is not willing to give.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's continue in the trend of naming all the chapters after lyrics from Sweeney Todd songs ;)
> 
> And let's also continue the trend of writing about Shaolin as a victim who's learning how to heal while also trying to be a normal teenager and have normal teenage love drama

There was a difference between wanting and needing. Shaolin had needs. Real needs like food, money and a place to sleep. He needed to get out of the Bronx, away from Annie, away from drugs. He needed to make something of himself. And, to an extent, he needed love. Love of a parent, love of someone honest.

Zeke filled him, water and bread, with love. He was starting to think it was the true kind, untouched and unmolested by anything. And just like water and bread, Zeke's love was starting to become a necessity. He needed Zeke's smile, his kiss, his charming laugh. He needed the sweet words that flowed like warm honey. Zeke posed his lips to say something to him, full of sugar and tooth rotting kindness, and Shaolin fell deeper. The touch of Zeke's fingers against hia was blood in his veins. He had begun to see Zeke's heartbeat as his own.

 _Ba-bump. Ba-bump._ That was his.

But as close as they were becoming, Shaolin hesitated to see them as entwined. He laid underneath Zeke now, a willing prisoner to the barrage of kisses and gentle touches. He wasn't fond of being tickled, but he let Zeke try because his laughter made Zeke laugh. This was as far as they ever got. Kissing and hugging, sometimes straddling each other to get closer. Sometimes Shaolin saw that Zeke wanted more. He had gotten very good at distracting him.

“Let's just stay dressed this time, okay?” He would say, tracing the lines on Zeke's throat. He liked to tease Zeke for how light he was. Hickeys stood out like plums against his throat. Zeke was always quick to point out that hickeys showed on him too. From collarbone to chin, signs of Zeke's nipping mouth contrasted against the dark brown skin.

Today, however, felt different. The show they put on was the best one yet. The crowd went wild for Zeke's new rhymes. The Get Down Brothers were taking over the hip-hop scene, spinning and giving the crowd the hottest of sounds. They came back to the temple high off their success. They drank and smoked and after the others left they had fallen into their habit of post-show fooling around.

Already Zeke had Shaolin on his back. He left sloppy kisses up the boy's neck, moaning as he went. Shaolin didn't resist, still giddy after doing so well. He wondered if Grand Master Flash was there and if he saw how much Shaolin had been improving.

“We did so good! _You_ did so good,” Zeke spoke in between kisses. “You had 'em up on they feet.”

Shaolin was a glutton for praise. He accepted the words, eating them up as if they were the ripest of fruits. “Tell me something else.”

“You're so handsome. Naw, you're more than handsome.” Zeke thought a moment then said, “You're beautiful.”

“Nah, man. Men can't be beautiful,” replied Shaolin.

“Said who? I say you're beautiful. Beautiful like the sunset, like the river. You're like a record – classic.”

Shaolin looked up into Zeke's eyes, hand on the boy's cheek as he considered what he was saying. He never thought of himself as beautiful before. Good-looking, sure, but never beautiful and never classic like a river or a record.

They stared at each other for a second longer before Zeke was pressing for Shao to open his legs. A jolt of fear went through him, heavy and hot as a fire. He doesn't speak, doesn't explain himself. Shao pushes Zeke off of him and ran as fast as he could to the roof.

Out in the night air, Shaolin tried to catch his breath. He should've known that eventually Zeke would want him like that. It only made sense. Love and sex went together, right? As much sky as there was, Shaolin felt like every breath was his last. His hands shook and he felt himself on the verge of tears.

Shaolin missed his pigeons. Times like these when he was close to bursting he always had his birds. They were gone now, no doubt killed in the fire along with all his music. Shaolin fell to the floor, pressing his back up against the nearest wall. The tears came soon, breaking the dam he tried so hard to keep strong. He had nothing and the one thing he thought he had may be corrupted.

Shao heard Zeke's footsteps coming up the stairs. He couldn't compose himself fast enough. Zeke saw the tears and swooped down to sit next to Shao.

The two of them sat in silence until Shaolin finally spoke. “I ain't scared or nothing like that. I just … I just thought you was different. It seem that everybody want somethin' from me. You just wanted to fuck.”

Zeke was quiet, but he seemed to break when he said, “Nah, it ain't like that. I swear it ain't. On my life, I swear you're more than that to me.”

“You already did it before. With Mylene.”

“And so have you. With tons of --”

“It ain't the same!” Shao doesn't know where the flash of anger came from. “There's a difference. I ain't wanna do that shit. Didn't have no choice.”

They went back to their silence. Shaolin cursed himself mentally. They were stupid for thinking this would work. After this they could go back to just being friends and –

“Listen,” Zeke said, voice barely over a whisper. “Listen, we ain't got to do nothing if you don't want to. I didn't know all that other shit about you not having a choice. I'm not gonna pressure you or nothing.”

Simple words meant the world to Shaolin. “You mean that shit?”

“'Course I mean that shit. I mean what I say and I say what I mean.”

Shaolin bowed his head. “I guess … I guess I don't mind if you try to kiss me again. Just don't be reaching in my pants or nothing like that.”

Zeke smiled and Shaolin thought his heart might break from the sight of it. “You just tell me when you're ready to go. I'll wait for you even if it means waiting a thousand years.”

“Maybe not that long. You still a good-looking sonuvabitch.” Shaolin gave Zeke a lazy and playful punch. Zeke opened his arms and gestured for Shaolin to join him. He didn't hesitate to rest with Books.

This felt right and good. And maybe even one day, Zeke could help him not be afraid. Until then, Shaolin was content to just lay there in the arms of someone who loved him.


End file.
